Wonderful Saturday, how I love thee! My day off. . my day to enjoy without reservation the things in life I love most. . . .my family, my home, my friends. I’m still in my pj’s, I’ve been busy in the house–made breakfast for my family, with Grace’s help, and I’ve puttering around cleaning and putting things away. For now, I thought I would sit and try to write and share some photos.
Outside the sun is shining. I have all the shades up here in my room so I can see the bright colors. I can see Jacob marching around with (a toy) gun. It’s cool outside, in fact, we had our first frost last night. I woke up this morning and decided that it was time to get out the down comforter. Even though it’s chilly, I have my window open a crack so I can here the birds and the wind.
The boys, and Rich, all have jeans and sweatshirts on today. Grace has a pair of jeans on under her dress.
David and Caleb are having fun playing in their room. Every night we clean the room and every morning they get right up and mess it up again. Today they have David’s mattress pulled off the bed and Caleb’s crib filled with toys.
For breakfast this morning we had fried eggs, hashbrowns, homemade buttermilk biscuits, sausage, and bacon.
Biscuits (Jacob had 4 this morning! We all loved them)
1 cup flour
1 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in. cubes
3/4 cup buttermilk (you can add a splash of vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for a substitute)
Rack in center oven 400 degrees.
Whisk dry ingredients together. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly with a few pea-sized pieces of butter. Stir in enough buttermilk to make a soft, sticky dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Quickly knead the dough just until it comes together-do not over-knead. Pat or roll out until 1/2 in. thick. Using a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits and place 1 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 18 minutes. Yield: 14 biscuits
Victoria Magazine is back! I received my first issue yesterday in the mail. I lit a nice-smelling candle and looked through it on my porch when the kids were napping. Even with two blankets, I was still shivering out there in the fall breeze.
Here are some photos of this beautiful, inspiring magazine:
I am a big fan of Tasha Tudor and was delighted to see this article about her antique clothing collection:
What a lovely quote:
One of my pleasures is to sit down at my kitchen table with my stationary, to write letters. I found this article about writing to be very inspirational:
This morning, after breakfast, I took these photos. We’ve been feeling so cozy all morning. Rich (who was reading at the table with his coffee) said to me as I made breakfast, “I love these times. You know? Watching you in the kitchen, cooking, with music playing and having the children around us.” Yes, I know. I love them, too.
Country Home, Country Living, Mymeanderings (in the photo album), Beatrix Potter, and Tasha Tudor, all in the same basket!
I found this malted milk jar (from England) this summer, at an antique store in NYS. I added the metal cookie cutters a few days ago.
Someday I will have a collection of miniature things to put in these cubbies. For now, they are empty. Every once in a while, the children add something. Like dogfood nuggets and acorns, for instance. There is a mini cobalt fiesta disc pitcher on top, and a “Tis a Gift to be Simple” piece of framed art on the wall from Joanna.
This is a quilted wall hanging that Rich’s Grandma made for us as a wedding gift. I use it to drape over the printer in our room.
The bookcase in our room. Books are my friends, *smile here*. The scrapbook with the flower on top is another gift from Joanna.
I love this figurine Colleen gave to me. It’s sitting on a jewelry box that used to be my Grandma’s. And, that is sitting on a pink painted box that Joanna made me. Inside is decoupaged with some of my baby photos that she printed out from an email that I sent her (not knowing she would use them for that purpose!) Rich keeps his spare change in the lidded bowl. Every time the children find one of his golf balls outside, they are allowed to take 25 cents.
I am standing in front of the front door/and the door of the master bedroom as I took these:
Living room
Kitchen
Upstairs landing. Sister’s room is on the left, bathroom is straight ahead, and the 2 boys bedrooms on the right. There is enough room on the landing for an area rug, 2 bookcases, and a big comfy chair.
There is nothing like staying at home
for real comfort. ~Jane Austen
I love this quote and totally agree with it. However, I am hoping that Rich will take me for a fall drive later today. Maybe we’ll stop and get apple cider someplace or go to an antique store. What are you doing today? Whatever it is, I hope you have a wonderful day!
Good to be Home 
Stay at home days are great I think. You have a lovely home!
Beautiful!
mm…. i love cool, crisp satrdays, too; ones when you can sleep in and snuggle up in warm blankets (i like to leave my window open a crack, too!) enjoying the simple, beatiful things in life.
what a beatiful home you have! (and i will have to try out those biscuits! they sound very yummy )
Ohhh… can’t wait. Thankyou!
Happy Saturday– I’m ironing a Huge pile of clothes which I’ve been putting off and the children are out with the horses planning a ‘rodeo’ for us!
Thank you for the lovely visit to your home! It’s lovely….so inviting. What a wonderful way to spend a saturday morning, I made pancakes and sausage and we are still just relaxing. Enjoy the rest of your saturday. Blessings
man! that breakfast made my mouth water! sounds wonderful!oh man! Hot apple cider! mmmmmmmmm
It is nice when you can stay at home like that & not have anything going on. I like those days when I can drink my coffee & enjoy the time with my family. Your breakfast sounds so good! I have not made homemade biscuits before, they sound delicious!! I’m hungry for that now! Your house is beautiful! I love how open the kitchen is, and you look like you have plenty of room. Very nice! Enjoy your day. We had soccer, the girls are going to a princess party & then my husband & I are going to the Dinner theater.
enjoyed visiting your home today!! Very nice and welcoming, wish I could step inside for real
I enjoyed this post sooo much. Thank you for taking the time to add all the pictures. I can’t put into words the admiration I have for you. You are an example to me of something I’d like to be. The way you are a woman with likes and dislikes, the way you are a mother to your children, the way you are a wife to your husband and the way you are a friend to everyone. Hope your Saturday has been wonderful.
Sounds like a wonderful, relaxing Saturday. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of your home. How do you keep it so clean?? š We are having yard Sale Saturday at our house. I received my Victoria magazine on Thursday and can’t wait to have some quiet time to enjoy looking through it. Blessings
That breakfast way outdid my Cheerios. So far today I have made two batches of banana bread, popcorn balls and pasta salad for our school’s fall party tonight. We are going to a former student’s grandma’s farm where she has a gigantic tree house with a rope bridge and lots of other things for the kids to play on and around. We are having a hot dog roast and marshmallows. It should be a fun day! Blessings!
Your posts are always so delightful — it sounds as if you are all having a most relaxing day, doing what you do at home! And that breakfast is just right to start the day, too! Thank you so much for sharing your life — I always look forward to your posts.
Ah, yes! To stay at home is best…(who said that again?)
Lovely pics, yummy breakfast too. Oh so cozy…I’m here with the sniffles myself, with my hubby and four children buzzing…
Hope you get that fall drive…it sounds like you definitely deserve it!
Blessings to you and yours,
Nadine
Oh Shanda…your place is such a comfortable place to land…. Love this post. You say it so well. I think that I must subscribe to Victoria. I have the card sitting here to send in. Just have been waiting to see if it was my “old” friend that I remember so well.Hope you enjoyed a nice drive this afternoon.:o)
one more thing, Shanda…I have two of those big jars…one holds wooden spools, the other is still empty..You have me thinking now.hmmmm….
you have a snuggly home! i had no idea victoria magazine had come back, it used to be amongst my most favorites. i am going to have to go subscribe and i thank you for letting me know about this! š
Books are my friends too!
So glad you have had a great Saturday, a relaxing one. I would have loved to eat some of your food at breakfast.:) I enjoyed seeing your home and hearing that your boys have so much fun in their rooms, I wonder what Cole is doing to do one day! š Have fun with your family! Thanks for the recipe. I love the openess of your home.
Hey looks so cozy there this morning. Hope you had a great day. (I want to come and curl up in front of your fire place and look at magazines with you like the good old days) Love ya, your sis š
Thank you so much for showing your home! I love it! Very warm and inviting. The picture of your family eating breakfast is great! I love it. Those always seem to be the best moments to chat!
Sounds like you are having a wonderful day! God bless!!!!!
So, did you get to go on that drive??We had a slow, lazy morning like that, too. This afternoon we went to that park in my town… you know the one… with the barn and the animals….. Anyway, we went on a lovely autumn hike. It was much fun. Now J. is at J.K.’s house watching baseball… of course. š
Your home is so beautiful and so full of wonderful family times, god has truly bless you.
GOD BLESS,
SANDY
sounds like a glorious day! I love days like that as well. Your home looks so warm and charming, it matches your personality perfectly!
Ohhh I will have to check out that magazine! it looks lovely =)
Well I’m all relaxed now too, after getting to spend this time with you and your family and I’m delight to hear Victoria Magazine is back.
I LOVE Victoria Magazine and I sent in my little card saying I wanted to receive the new issue….but haven’t received it yet……maybe because I live on the other side of the country from you…
today we had sun and time at the same time LOL so I got those pictures—-watch your e mail :o)
Your breakfast sounded delightful! I really enjoyed the “tour” of your home- so cozy and full of your touches. We spent the day preparing for and then enjoying Bekah’s party. I’m hoping to relax tomorrow after church. I just found one of my Tasha Tudor books from when I was a child. Wonderful post (as always), Shan!
Nice pictures of your home — it looks so cozy! Your “cubbie” looks so empty — I think I’ll send you something to put in it soon.
I love this post so much, and it makes me miss you (though I’ve never been with you!). I feel as if our spirits, so kindred, really need to get together someday. Maryn just came in here and laid her head on my leg. I think it is time for a nap. Hugs to you today.
The posters/charts on your kitchen wall!!! . . . That’s MY kitchen, too!I have an oversized Mason jar that contains my grandma’s metal cookie cutters, ones I used as a child.And, your bookcase! So much like my own. I have taken over the built in shelves in Luci’s room, since my own bookcase doesn’t hold enough!Now, if only I was as young and pretty as you!!!
Oh yes, one more thing . . . You have caused me to fall into sin, as I am coveting the numerous cabinets in your kitchen! Cooking is my most favorite thing to do and hanging out in the kitchen my second favorite. I have a fairly large home with an apartment size kitchen. Must have been designed by a man – one who doesn’t cook!
Shanda, loved the Jane Austen quote. . .will likely make it one of my favorites as well. I’m such a homebody and love being home, making a house a home, being domestic, cooking/baking for my family, etc. I wish I loved cleaning my home though. . .I love it when it’s clean, but I dislike the cleaning process! Your home is lovely, your children precious. . .I caught up on other posts of yours I’d missed these past few days. I especially love the Indians. . .my four boys are often Indians stalking our poor innocent cat (the bear) through the woods. Our kitty (Tikva) can so relate to Patches!! I also read with interest your homeschooling challenges. I do not homeschool, but have often prayed about it and thought it through. I have many friends who homeschool and I can only imagine how hard some days must be, yet how rewarding the whole process is as well. As Christian parents we all want the same for our kids, I believe, no matter what mode in which we choose to educate them—we want them to love Jesus with all their hearts, and serve Him in the way in which He’s called them as they grow. Our kids are in public school, and yet we are still diligent to disciple them and make sure they are spiritually grounded and hopefully crazy about Jesus. We all need to lean on the Lord, lean on each other as Christian moms for support. I appreciate your honesty and autenticity in sharing your struggles.Sorry this is soooooo long!! Gotta go fix lunch for the troops—Lelia
Shanda. . .I just posted a really long comment, I thought, but now I’m not sure it really happened. Frustrating. . .Let me know if you got it–Lelia
What a beautiful HOME…Have a blessed week…I love the jar…Robin
This was a fun post to read and look at! Thank you for sharing! I hope you were able to go on a drive! Love, Lish
you have a beautiful home!
Aaah, now I feel like you’ve had me over for a visit in your home! Thanks so much for sharing these pictures. Your home is so pretty and inviting, and I think it suits you perfectly! The bookcases are my favorite part.
This was such a sweet and refreshing post. I had a day of just staying home yesterday as well and LOVE EVERY MINUTE! My parents were here for a visit and we did nothing but sit and talk and…don’t tell…listened to CHRISTMAS music! š They are such precious moments…being home…being surrounded by the people we love…and those sweet, precious treasures from those who love us…and of course our little pleasures in life (books, Country Home, Country Living, Victoria…all my favorites!) Thanks for sharing! Your home just looks like a peaceful and cozy place to snuggle away in…what special memories your children are going to have!!! Thank you for sharing things like this with us…it is always so refreshing to me.
You are a beautiful person, have a beautiful family, beautiful home and I thank you for letting me look into it so openly and honestly. What a gift it is that you share so much of yourself with others. I truly count you as a blessing and I am sure many, many others do too. Thank you.
I also have a jewelry box like the one of your grandmothers which was also my grandmothers. She lived in England and died when I was about 10. I also have an old Mickey Mouse watch she gave me when I was about 2 or 3…I remember receiving it. I barely knew my grandparents and now that we live almost accross the street from my mother-in-law, I count it as one of the biggest blessings I give to my children.
Your home is so neat love all your pictures you put on here. The children are so photogenic!
I just saw your comments on my tomato canning episode. I did whole tomatoes (with skins removed), pizza sauce (put the raw tomatoes in the blender, seeds, skins and all, and then cooked them down), and salsa (removed the skins, not the seeds). The pizza sauce idea came from Ruthie, the expert canner from our church. It worked for me, and sure was easier than skinning them!
Your home is lovely ~ and I love Victoria magazine ~ I hope the library starts taking it again.
I enjoyed this post and my little virtual visit to your home! Hope your week is wonderful. š
I never saw the living room before..so now I have more to be jealous of! LOL! I really like the fireplace!
I had a subscription for years, Juls got me into it. Some of it is too romantic for my taste, but I think I would love the one you got. I own most of Stoddard’s books and you already know how much we both love Tudor.